The Joy of Gardening

Take time to celebrate the plants you work to nurture

Gardening is a popular hobby, but there are some who despise doing gardening chores such as weeding, mowing and raking. There is not a single day that passes, however, that a gardener does not benefit from the products of the garden or enjoy the pleasures provided from gardens — whether they be fruits, vegetables, flowers or a landscape. Dorothy Frances Gurney said it best:

The kiss of the sun for pardon
The songs of the birds for mirth
One is nearer God’s heart in a garden
Than anywhere else on Earth.

You may enter your garden after a hard day feeling depressed and bitter. But after only a few moments in the garden, the problems of the day will diminish — unless a woodchuck feasted on your plants.

By the way, the patron saint of gardens is not St. Francis. Pray to St. Fiacre for gardening guidance when the Bay Gardener is not available.

I recently received in the mail — from an unknown source — a script that I would like to share:

How Does Your Garden Grow?

First let us plant six rows of lettuce
Let us be happy
Let us make intelligent choices
Let us be truthful
Let us laugh
Let us be considerate to others
Let us love one another

The second requires us to plant three rows of squash
Squash gossip and rumors
Squash destructive criticism
Squash indifference

Next plant four rows of peas
Preparedness
Promptness
Perseverance
Politeness

Plant two rows of beets
Beat stress
Beat the odds

In August plant three rows of turnips
Turn up with a smile
Turn up with a new idea
Turn up with real determination

Finally, no garden is complete without plenty of thyme.
Time to listen
Time to relax
Time to think
Time to work
Time to read
Time to stop and smell the roses

Happy gardening from the Bay Gardener.